National Signing Day is Wednesday. TCU had 17 commitments as of Monday, but missed out on highly sought-after defensive end Phidarian Mathis, who chose Alabama on Tuesday over LSU and the Horned Frogs. Max Faulknermfaulkner@star-telegram.com

National Signing Day is Wednesday. TCU had 17 commitments as of Monday, but missed out on highly sought-after defensive end Phidarian Mathis, who chose Alabama on Tuesday over LSU and the Horned Frogs. Max Faulknermfaulkner@star-telegram.com

TCU, LSU lose out to Alabama for touted Louisiana recruit

Phidarian Mathis, the 37th-ranked player in the ESPN 300 and the seventh-ranked defensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class, committed to Alabama in an unusual commitment ceremony on Tuesday, the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate reported.

The 6-foot-4, 287-pound Mathis committed from the grave of Tyrell Cameron, who died after a collision during a 2015 football game. Cameron played for Franklin Parish in Winnsboro, about 40 miles southeast of Monroe.

Wednesday is National Signing Day, when oral commitments can first be made binding.

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Mathis told the SEC Country website, cited the chaos after Les Miles’ firing at LSU, as well as a lack of communication with LSU’s defensive line coach, as factors in his choice of Alabama.

Last weekend, Mathis made his final official visit — to TCU.

Mathis told SEC Country: “For like three months straight, it was ’Bama and LSU. Then TCU started recruiting me hard and I started to fall in love with them, but they didn’t fit me. LSU fit me, but ’Bama fit me the most.”